2025 Speakers | Kisaco Research

Meet the 2025 Speakers

For our 10th anniversary we've curated a stellar speaker line-up with decision-makers and thought leaders from across the entire ecosystem.

Find out who's speaking this year below.

Introducing our 2025 Selection Committee

The leaders responsible for identifying and evaluating innovators to present in our AHNTI Innovation Showcase - each with an extensive breadth of experience and knowledge across animal health.

Author:

Sarah Aitchison

Incubation Manager
vHive University of Surrey

Sarah Aitchison

Incubation Manager
vHive University of Surrey

Author:

Justine Conway

Vice President of Business Development & External Innovation
Elanco

Justine Conway

Vice President of Business Development & External Innovation
Elanco

Author:

Paul Dick

President
Paul Dick & Associates

Dr Paul Dick D.V.M. M.Sc. obtained his veterinary medical degree with honours in 1984.

While working in clinical practice he completed his Masters in Immunology and Virology transitioning into the Pharmaceutical industry in 1988. Dr. Dick has over 25 years experience in the pharmaceutical space including general management and leadership roles, business development, commercialization, regulatory affairs, and product development encompassing medicinal, non-medicinal and natural health products.

His work in this sector has ranged from small “start up” companies to medium and large multi-nationals functioning in various capacities from research to COO and CEO.

Dr. Dick has worked extensively with Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on numerous regulatory submissions and on several Departmental Committees.

In addition he has been a recipient of the NSERC Synergy Award and has served as a peer reviewer of NSERC strategic grants. He is currently heading his own consulting firm ( Paul Dick and Associates Ltd.) and is the managing partner and president of a venture capital partnership (Vet Venture Capital Inc.).

Paul Dick

President
Paul Dick & Associates

Dr Paul Dick D.V.M. M.Sc. obtained his veterinary medical degree with honours in 1984.

While working in clinical practice he completed his Masters in Immunology and Virology transitioning into the Pharmaceutical industry in 1988. Dr. Dick has over 25 years experience in the pharmaceutical space including general management and leadership roles, business development, commercialization, regulatory affairs, and product development encompassing medicinal, non-medicinal and natural health products.

His work in this sector has ranged from small “start up” companies to medium and large multi-nationals functioning in various capacities from research to COO and CEO.

Dr. Dick has worked extensively with Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on numerous regulatory submissions and on several Departmental Committees.

In addition he has been a recipient of the NSERC Synergy Award and has served as a peer reviewer of NSERC strategic grants. He is currently heading his own consulting firm ( Paul Dick and Associates Ltd.) and is the managing partner and president of a venture capital partnership (Vet Venture Capital Inc.).

Author:

Charles Hoare

Managing Director, Head of European Healthcare M&A
Stifel

Charles is a healthcare focused investment banker with approximately 20 years’ experience with specialty pharmaceutical companies in the US and Europe. Previously Charles was Managing Director for the international healthcare team at BofA Merrill Lynch and currently leads Commerzbank’s global healthcare team. During this time he has advised multiple companies on public and private capital raises, debt financing, mergers, acquisitions and out-licensing transactions.

He has a particular focus on the veterinary healthcare sector, where he has been involved in transactions for almost all of the top 15 companies in the sector. Recent transactions include advising Virbac on the acquisition of the Sentinel and Sentinel Spectrum brands from Novartis, advising Lohmann Animal Health on its sale to Eli Lilly, advising Pharmaq on Permira’s investment in the company and assisting United Biomedical with creating a global strategic alliance for its swine vaccine portfolio.

Charles also chairs the Commercialisation committee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and serves on the school’s Finance and Planning committee. In addition, he is Chairman of the Bulldog Trust, which funds and supports entrepreneurial charities, and sits on the Boards of Directors of Placehill Limited (growth capital), Laguna Ventures Limited (late stage venture finance) and Atlantic Healthcare plc.

Charles Hoare

Managing Director, Head of European Healthcare M&A
Stifel

Charles is a healthcare focused investment banker with approximately 20 years’ experience with specialty pharmaceutical companies in the US and Europe. Previously Charles was Managing Director for the international healthcare team at BofA Merrill Lynch and currently leads Commerzbank’s global healthcare team. During this time he has advised multiple companies on public and private capital raises, debt financing, mergers, acquisitions and out-licensing transactions.

He has a particular focus on the veterinary healthcare sector, where he has been involved in transactions for almost all of the top 15 companies in the sector. Recent transactions include advising Virbac on the acquisition of the Sentinel and Sentinel Spectrum brands from Novartis, advising Lohmann Animal Health on its sale to Eli Lilly, advising Pharmaq on Permira’s investment in the company and assisting United Biomedical with creating a global strategic alliance for its swine vaccine portfolio.

Charles also chairs the Commercialisation committee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and serves on the school’s Finance and Planning committee. In addition, he is Chairman of the Bulldog Trust, which funds and supports entrepreneurial charities, and sits on the Boards of Directors of Placehill Limited (growth capital), Laguna Ventures Limited (late stage venture finance) and Atlantic Healthcare plc.

Author:

Andreas Kastenbauer

Partner
MIG Capital

Andreas Kastenbauer

Partner
MIG Capital

Author:

Natalie Marks

Executive Committee
VANE

Natalie Marks

Executive Committee
VANE

Author:

Philippe Moreau

Director
Animal Health Angels

Philippe Moreau

Director
Animal Health Angels

Author:

Julia Stephanus

Partner
Borealis Ventures

Julia Stephanus is a 30 year veteran of the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.  Currently Julia is President of Avviare, a consulting firm specializing in supporting veterinary focused start-ups. 

Julia has been involved in the development and launch of 28 veterinary products.  She has been a senior executive in two start-up pharmaceutical companies (Aratana Therapeutics and Summit VetPharm), and held key positions at multi-nationals including Pfizer (now Zoetis) and its legacy companies.

As Chief Commercial Officer of Aratana Julia provided the commercial leadership resulting in a successful IPO (NASDAQ:PETX), high-impact corporate branding, innovative go-to-market strategies for five therapeutics and the staffing of the inaugural commercial organization.

As founder and CEO of Summit VetPharm, Julia developed and launched a new line of companion animal parasiticides, grew the company to a cash flow positive position with 85 employees in five years and divested the company to Ceva Animal Health in 2010.  A graduate of Indiana University, she has continued her executive training at Harvard, Columbia, University of Chicago and the Wharton School of Business.      

Julia Stephanus

Partner
Borealis Ventures

Julia Stephanus is a 30 year veteran of the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.  Currently Julia is President of Avviare, a consulting firm specializing in supporting veterinary focused start-ups. 

Julia has been involved in the development and launch of 28 veterinary products.  She has been a senior executive in two start-up pharmaceutical companies (Aratana Therapeutics and Summit VetPharm), and held key positions at multi-nationals including Pfizer (now Zoetis) and its legacy companies.

As Chief Commercial Officer of Aratana Julia provided the commercial leadership resulting in a successful IPO (NASDAQ:PETX), high-impact corporate branding, innovative go-to-market strategies for five therapeutics and the staffing of the inaugural commercial organization.

As founder and CEO of Summit VetPharm, Julia developed and launched a new line of companion animal parasiticides, grew the company to a cash flow positive position with 85 employees in five years and divested the company to Ceva Animal Health in 2010.  A graduate of Indiana University, she has continued her executive training at Harvard, Columbia, University of Chicago and the Wharton School of Business.      

Global Advisory Board

Author:

Tim Bettington

Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Market Development
Elanco

Tim Bettington

Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Market Development
Elanco

Author:

Jamie Brannan

Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
Zoetis

Jamie Brannan

Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer
Zoetis

Author:

Paul Casady

Senior Consultant
Brakke Consulting

Paul Casady

Senior Consultant
Brakke Consulting

Author:

Rob Kelly

Senior Vice President, Commercial Leader for EURAM Region
MSD Animal Health

Rob Kelly

Senior Vice President, Commercial Leader for EURAM Region
MSD Animal Health

Author:

Julia Loew

Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations
MWI Animal Health

Julia Loew

Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations
MWI Animal Health

Author:

Alan Mackay

Managing Partner and Founder
GHO Capital

Alan Mackay

Managing Partner and Founder
GHO Capital

Author:

Jean-Luc Michel

Senior Vice President, Head of Global Strategic Marketing
Boehringer Ingelheim

After graduating from the University of Pharmacy of Lyon with a Doctorate and from EM Lyon Business School with an MBA, Jean-Luc Michel started his career by creating his own consultancy company. He joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1991 spending 10 years developing a solid expertise in consumer healthcare and nutrition. During this period, he held a variety of senior marketing and sales management positions in France at Monsanto (Searle) and at Johnson&Johnson / Merck & Co where he was an Executive Committee member of the French subsidiary.

In 2001, Jean-Luc joined Merial, a leader in the animal health industry, where he held some key senior roles, such as EMEA Marketing Director of the Companion Animal Global Enterprise; Head of Marketing EMEA; Executive Marketing Director (Pet Business) in the US; VP, Head of Pet Vet Business Unit; and in 2016 joined the Executive Committee of Merial as Head of Global Commercial Development.

After the acquisition of Merial by Boehringer Ingelheim, Jean-Luc was appointed Head of Global Companion Animal Strategic Business Unit and became a member of the Executive Committee of the Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit.

Jean-Luc Michel

Senior Vice President, Head of Global Strategic Marketing
Boehringer Ingelheim

After graduating from the University of Pharmacy of Lyon with a Doctorate and from EM Lyon Business School with an MBA, Jean-Luc Michel started his career by creating his own consultancy company. He joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1991 spending 10 years developing a solid expertise in consumer healthcare and nutrition. During this period, he held a variety of senior marketing and sales management positions in France at Monsanto (Searle) and at Johnson&Johnson / Merck & Co where he was an Executive Committee member of the French subsidiary.

In 2001, Jean-Luc joined Merial, a leader in the animal health industry, where he held some key senior roles, such as EMEA Marketing Director of the Companion Animal Global Enterprise; Head of Marketing EMEA; Executive Marketing Director (Pet Business) in the US; VP, Head of Pet Vet Business Unit; and in 2016 joined the Executive Committee of Merial as Head of Global Commercial Development.

After the acquisition of Merial by Boehringer Ingelheim, Jean-Luc was appointed Head of Global Companion Animal Strategic Business Unit and became a member of the Executive Committee of the Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Business Unit.

Author:

Linda Rhodes

VMD, PhD, Independent and ex-CSO
Independent Animal Health

Dr. Rhodes has over 30 years of accomplishments in human and animal drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical veterinary medicine.

Dr. Rhodes was educated at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (VMD) and Cornell University (PhD). She has an extensive background in physiology, veterinary medicine, and drug development, and many publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Rhodes practiced clinical veterinary medicine for five years, with experience in both companion and farm animal practice. As a senior research fellow at Merck Research Laboratories for 8 years, she led pre-clinical biology evaluation of several marketed human drugs. She worked for Merial Ltd. as director of large animal development projects, leading project teams developing novel compounds for a variety of indications. In April 2001, she formed AlcheraBio, a consulting, marketing, and contract research firm specializing in developing new drugs for animals, working with biotechnology and animal health companies world-wide. AlcheraBio was acquired in 2008 by Argenta, and Dr. Rhodes served as executive vice president to transition the company when in 2011, she accepted a position as CEO of Aratana Therapeutics, a startup company developing innovative new medicines for dogs and cats. Subsequently, when the company became public she served as its Chief Scientific Officer. During her 5-year tenure, the company achieved FDA approval of three new pet therapeutics: Galliprant, Nocita and Entyce. She is currently retired and an independent consultant. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Zoetis, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Alliance for Contraception in Dogs and Cats and the Michelson Found Animals Foundation. She founded Feather in Her Cap, a non-profit that recognizes the achievement of women in the animal health industry. She is the recipient of the Iron Paw Award.

Linda Rhodes

VMD, PhD, Independent and ex-CSO
Independent Animal Health

Dr. Rhodes has over 30 years of accomplishments in human and animal drug discovery, development, biomedical research, and clinical veterinary medicine.

Dr. Rhodes was educated at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (VMD) and Cornell University (PhD). She has an extensive background in physiology, veterinary medicine, and drug development, and many publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Rhodes practiced clinical veterinary medicine for five years, with experience in both companion and farm animal practice. As a senior research fellow at Merck Research Laboratories for 8 years, she led pre-clinical biology evaluation of several marketed human drugs. She worked for Merial Ltd. as director of large animal development projects, leading project teams developing novel compounds for a variety of indications. In April 2001, she formed AlcheraBio, a consulting, marketing, and contract research firm specializing in developing new drugs for animals, working with biotechnology and animal health companies world-wide. AlcheraBio was acquired in 2008 by Argenta, and Dr. Rhodes served as executive vice president to transition the company when in 2011, she accepted a position as CEO of Aratana Therapeutics, a startup company developing innovative new medicines for dogs and cats. Subsequently, when the company became public she served as its Chief Scientific Officer. During her 5-year tenure, the company achieved FDA approval of three new pet therapeutics: Galliprant, Nocita and Entyce. She is currently retired and an independent consultant. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Zoetis, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of the Alliance for Contraception in Dogs and Cats and the Michelson Found Animals Foundation. She founded Feather in Her Cap, a non-profit that recognizes the achievement of women in the animal health industry. She is the recipient of the Iron Paw Award.

Author:

Dave Ross

Chief Executive Officer
Agri-EPI Centre Ltd

Dave Ross

Chief Executive Officer
Agri-EPI Centre Ltd

Author:

Aaron Schacht

CEO
BiomEdit

Aaron Schacht

CEO
BiomEdit

Author:

Beatrice Vos, PhD

Partner
Stonehaven Cozmix Group (and CEO @ SC Transactions AG)

Beatrice Vos, PhD

Partner
Stonehaven Cozmix Group (and CEO @ SC Transactions AG)

Author:

Thomas Zerzan

President Companion Animal
Phibro Animal Health

Thomas Zerzan

President Companion Animal
Phibro Animal Health